MonoPoly Tips

MonoPoly

Tension

Gammill Longarm

Quilting with MonoPoly on a Gammill longarm machine

Q. Dr. Bob, I was quilting with Superior's MonoPoly invisible monofilament thread on my Gammill and experienced the thread breaking multiple times on a quilt I was working on. I tried loosening my tension and re-threading and still the thread was breaking. Do you have any tips on how to successfully use MonoPoly on a Gammill without the thread breaking?

A. This shouldn't be happening and I have a few recommendations (this should be an easy fix). Our reduced-sheen monofilament polyester thread is the best choice when it comes to invisible threads. Unlike other monofilament threads made from weaker nylon materials, MonoPoly is made from polyester. Commonly referred to as an invisible thread due to its fineness and reduced-sheen, MonoPoly is a fantastic choice for either the top or bobbin of a quilt when you want to focus on the background of the quilt, like the fabric, instead of the thread or quilted design.

Please check the list below for recommended fixes. We had a Gammill vision in our office for several years and could successfully quilt with every single one of our threads. Some threads, like MonoPoly, may require slight tweaks and adjustments to the tension, needle, and thread delivery.

Use a Handy Net on the cone to keep the thread unwinding in an even manner

Use only the center hole on the three-hole pretension thread guide (MonoPoly doesn't need much tension)

Loosen the top tension to the lowest resistance possible, just before the knob falls off

Use a size #14 (MR 3.0) needle

In the bobbin, instead of using MonoPoly use either So Fine! or Bottom Line. MonoPoly used as a top and bobbin thread at the same time can be too slick in certain situations